Embracing Worship and Transformation in Christ

 

Summary

Focusing on the face and name of Jesus, we are reminded of His worthiness and holiness. As we enter 2025, we are called to worship Him in spirit and truth, abandoning our self-consciousness and preconceived notions of worship. Worship is not about us; it is about glorifying God in the way He desires. We must let go of the heresy that suggests we can dictate how we worship. Instead, we should align our hearts with God's truth, focusing on how we appear to Him rather than others.

The name of Jesus is the only name worthy of praise. We often praise people for their deeds, but when it comes to Jesus, we must exalt His name above all others. Our past should not hold us back from the future God has for us. Paul, who had a past as Saul, exemplifies the power of transformation through Christ. He teaches us to forget what lies behind and reach forward to what lies ahead. This is crucial for living out our calling and experiencing the fullness of God's grace.

Paul's life is a testament to the transformative power of the gospel. Despite his past as a persecutor of Christians, he became a pivotal figure in spreading the gospel. His story, along with Peter's, demonstrates the reality of Jesus' resurrection and the profound change it brings. We are encouraged to believe in the power of the gospel and the forgiveness it offers, rather than being bound by our past mistakes.

God's grace is abundant, and He chooses not to remember our sins for His sake, allowing His mercy and grace to flow into our lives. We must approach God with confidence, knowing that we are forgiven and that our past does not define us. The church should not use sin to control but to free individuals, encouraging them to live in the freedom Christ provides.

As we move forward, we must believe in the power of Jesus' blood over our lives, more than the power of our past mistakes. We are new creations in Christ, and our identity is rooted in His righteousness. This year, let us embrace our calling, free from the shackles of the past, and live in the grace and joy that God provides.

Key Takeaways:

1. Worship in Spirit and Truth: Worship is not about personal preference but aligning with God's desire for worship. It requires abandoning self-consciousness and focusing on glorifying God in spirit and truth. [29:14]

2. The Power of Jesus' Name: Only Jesus' name is worthy of praise. We must prioritize exalting His name above all others, recognizing His unique worthiness. [31:11]

3. Freedom from the Past: Like Paul, we must forget what lies behind and press forward to fulfill our calling. Our past should not hinder us from experiencing God's future for us. [39:18]

4. Transformative Power of the Gospel: Paul's transformation from persecutor to apostle highlights the gospel's power. Believing in the gospel's truth is essential for experiencing its transformative impact. [44:43]

5. Living in God's Grace: God's grace blots out our sins, allowing us to live in freedom. We must approach God with confidence, knowing we are forgiven and our past does not define us. [01:01:05]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [29:14] - Worship in Spirit and Truth
- [29:59] - Heresy of Self-Centered Worship
- [31:11] - The Worthiness of Jesus' Name
- [36:26] - Starting and Finishing Well
- [38:13] - Forgetting the Past
- [39:18] - Paul's Transformation
- [40:12] - The Glorious Gospel
- [42:00] - Mercy and Grace
- [44:08] - Evidence of Transformation
- [47:40] - God's Grace and Mercy
- [50:16] - Stephen's Story
- [52:49] - God's Reach to the Unreachable
- [55:05] - Forgetting and Pressing Forward
- [01:01:05] - God's Perfect Mercy
- [01:10:14] - New Creation in Christ

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. John 4:23-24 - "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him."
2. Philippians 3:12-14 - "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
3. Isaiah 43:25 - "I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins."

Observation Questions:
1. According to the sermon, what is the heresy that has plagued the church regarding worship, and how should we correct it? [29:59]
2. How does the sermon describe the worthiness of Jesus' name compared to other names or figures? [31:11]
3. What transformation did Paul undergo, and how is it used as evidence of the gospel's power in the sermon? [44:43]
4. How does the sermon explain God's approach to our past sins and His grace towards us? [01:01:05]

Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean to worship in spirit and truth, and how can this be practically applied in our worship services? [29:14]
2. How does Paul's instruction to forget what lies behind and press forward relate to our personal spiritual growth? [39:18]
3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the church has misused the concept of sin, and how should it be addressed? [01:11:09]
4. How does the sermon illustrate the concept of being a new creation in Christ, and what implications does this have for our identity? [01:10:14]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current approach to worship. Are there any self-conscious behaviors or preconceived notions you need to abandon to worship in spirit and truth? [29:14]
2. Consider the power of Jesus' name in your life. How can you prioritize exalting His name above all others in your daily routine? [31:11]
3. Identify a past mistake or failure that you struggle to let go of. How can you apply Paul's teaching to forget what lies behind and press forward in your spiritual journey? [39:18]
4. Think about a time when you felt bound by your past. How can you embrace the transformative power of the gospel to experience freedom and grace? [44:43]
5. How can you approach God with confidence, knowing that your past does not define you, and live in the freedom that His grace provides? [01:01:05]
6. In what ways can you actively remind yourself of your identity as a new creation in Christ, especially when faced with doubts or accusations from others? [01:10:14]
7. How can you contribute to a church environment that encourages freedom in Christ rather than using sin as a means of control? [01:11:09]

Devotional

I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:

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Day 1: Worship Beyond Self

Worship is a profound act of aligning oneself with God's desires, transcending personal preferences and self-consciousness. It calls for a heart that seeks to glorify God in spirit and truth, as opposed to being swayed by how others perceive us or by our own preconceived notions of worship. True worship requires a surrender of self, focusing solely on the worthiness and holiness of Jesus. This approach to worship challenges the heretical idea that we can dictate how we worship, urging us instead to seek God's truth and align our hearts with His will. [29:14]

John 4:23-24 (ESV): "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."

Reflection: In what ways can you let go of self-consciousness in your worship this week, focusing instead on glorifying God in spirit and truth?


Day 2: Exalting the Name Above All Names

The name of Jesus stands alone in its worthiness of praise, surpassing all others. While we often commend people for their achievements, the name of Jesus demands a unique exaltation. This recognition of His unparalleled worthiness calls us to prioritize His name above all else, acknowledging the power and authority it holds. In doing so, we align ourselves with the truth of His identity and the reverence it commands. [31:11]

Acts 4:12 (ESV): "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

Reflection: How can you intentionally prioritize exalting the name of Jesus in your daily conversations and actions this week?


Day 3: Embracing Freedom from the Past

The transformative power of the gospel is vividly illustrated in the life of Paul, who moved from being a persecutor of Christians to a pivotal figure in spreading the gospel. His story exemplifies the importance of forgetting what lies behind and pressing forward to fulfill our calling. Our past should not hinder us from experiencing the future God has for us. Instead, we are encouraged to embrace the freedom and grace that come from living in Christ, unshackled by past mistakes. [39:18]

Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV): "Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: What is one past mistake or regret that you need to release to God today, trusting Him to guide you into His future for you?


Day 4: The Gospel's Transformative Power

Paul's transformation from a persecutor to an apostle underscores the profound impact of the gospel. His life, along with Peter's, serves as evidence of the reality of Jesus' resurrection and the change it brings. Believing in the truth of the gospel is essential for experiencing its transformative power. This belief invites us to live in the freedom and forgiveness it offers, rather than being bound by our past. [44:43]

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

Reflection: How can you actively live out the transformative power of the gospel in your relationships and daily interactions this week?


Day 5: Living in the Abundance of God's Grace

God's grace is abundant, and He chooses not to remember our sins for His sake, allowing His mercy and grace to flow into our lives. This grace invites us to approach God with confidence, knowing that we are forgiven and that our past does not define us. The church's role is to encourage individuals to live in the freedom Christ provides, rather than using sin to control. Embracing our identity as new creations in Christ, we are called to live in the grace and joy that God provides. [01:01:05]

Hebrews 4:16 (ESV): "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

Reflection: In what ways can you embrace and extend God's grace to yourself and others, living confidently in the freedom it provides?

Quotes

"Forget about everything that's going on in this room and just focus on the face of Jesus. Focus on the name of Jesus. Begin to tell him how worthy he is, how holy he is, how much you love him, how much you are grateful for what he did for you. Oh, we worship you, Jesus. We magnify you, Lord. You are good and your mercy endures forever. Worthy is your name, Lord. Hallelujah. We worship you, Lord. We lift our hands to you. We lift our voice to you, Lord. We magnify you. We glorify your name this morning, Jesus. You are worthy and worthy to be praised." [00:26:05] (39 seconds)


"The problem with that is that it is truly a heresy because worship is not about us. Worship is not about you. You don't get to dictate what worship looks like. The Lord says, this is how I want to be worshiped. But people all over the place just say, well, it's my business. It is your business. Just like everything else in the Bible that you want to adhere to. But it doesn't mean it's right. And I'll be the first to admit that I don't always worship the way I know the Lord wants to be worshiped. The Lord says to worship him in the spirit and in truth." [00:29:39] (37 seconds)


"So it's always important how you start, but it's even more important how you finish this morning. I want to talk to you about being free from your past because I think it's one of the most important things to continually keep at the forefront of your life because if not, your past will keep you from being who God has called you to be and keep you from the goodness of God in your life. A lot of people think that well, God's just going to do whatever he's going to do in my life. No, God has already done everything through Jesus Christ for you, but it doesn't necessarily mean that, that, uh, that you're going to have those things because you can allow the enemy to talk you out of things. You can allow your past to talk you away from things." [00:36:26] (43 seconds)


"I want you to let go. I want you to let go of the things that are behind you. And the second thing that he says, he said, I want you to reach forth unto those things that are before you. I want you to let go of the things that are behind you, and I want you to reach towards the things that are in front of you. I said this a few weeks ago, God can't lead you into your past, but he's going to lead you into your future if you're letting him." [00:38:34] (21 seconds)


"Paul or Saul, we can go back in his life and call him Saul at this point. He had no plans on becoming a Christian. Of course, if you remember who he was, he was actually persecuting Christians, actually killing Christians. We're going to talk about a little bit of that here in a minute. But he had no plans, and he says, listen, I obtained mercy ignorantly. I didn't want to know about it. But God was so good, and he was so gracious, and he was so merciful to me that he intervened in my life." [00:42:22] (30 seconds)


"The very fact that Saul was who he was before his encounter with Jesus, and he made such a radical turnaround, he's just one of the pieces of evidence in the Bible that lets me know that Jesus is real. Amen? I've heard it said that the Bible is not a book of facts, it's a book to be believed, because everybody wants you to prove it to them. And I used to kind of say that and agree with what they were saying, because you've got to believe it. You've got to use faith to believe it." [00:44:51] (32 seconds)


"Paul said, he did that in me to show a pattern of God's grace, to show a pattern of God's mercy, to show a pattern that you didn't have to have it all right, you didn't have to get cleaned up, that Jesus came to wash it all away. The Word of God tells us that Saul was present at the stoning of Stephen. Stephen was a young preacher. And, of course, he really wasn't what you'd call in the ministry. If I'm remembering correctly, Stephen was one of the guys that the apostles had prayed for." [00:48:52] (43 seconds)


"God didn't say that he wouldn't remember your sins or iniquities for your sake, although it does benefit us greatly, but he said he was going to do that for his sake, that he was not going to remember your sins anymore. Why do you think God would say, for my own sake? Because how is a God of heaven that is perfect going to bless someone whose life is imperfect? How is a God of heaven who is perfect going to apply his perfect mercy on your life, his perfect grace on your life?" [01:00:43] (39 seconds)


"You've got to begin to believe more in the forgiveness of your sins that came through the blood of Jesus. Then you believe in the power of the mistakes that you made in your past. I want to say that again. Because I think a lot of us believe that our mistakes have more power than the blood of Jesus. So you've got to begin to believe more in the power of the blood of Jesus that's been applied on your life than you do on your past mistakes." [01:08:03] (32 seconds)


"You have to believe more in the fact that you're a new creation in Christ Jesus than the voice that constantly says, no, no, no, no, no. You have to believe more in the fact that you're a new creation in Christ Jesus than the voice that constantly reminds you that you're not good enough. The word of God actually calls you the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus." [01:10:04] (15 seconds)


"Old things, as far as God is concerned, have passed away. Everything's become new. He said he made him who knew no sin to become sin for you so that you could be the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. And when I stand before God, I'm in right standing with him, not because of what I did, but because of what he did. I'm standing in him. So therefore, I'm the righteousness of God in Christ. Amen." [01:21:12] (27 seconds)


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Transcript
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